Trichome-specific transcription factor modulating terpene biosynthesis

A polypeptide with DNA binding activity that regulates terpene biosynthesis in a plant having an amino acid sequence selected from the group of:

• (a) an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• (b) an amino acid sequence which has been derived, by way of one or more amino acid substitutions, deletions or insertions, from the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 and which polypeptide is functionally equivalent to the polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and
• (c) an amino acid sequence that is at least 60% identical to the amino acid sequence according to (a).

A method for increasing production of at least one terpene in a plant comprising:

• (a) contacting a plant cell with a composition comprising a vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence having at least 60% identity to SEQ ID NO:1 or a functional fragment thereof;
• (b) selecting the plant cell transformed with the vector wherein the plant cell overexpresses the nucleic acid sequence or the fragment wherein overexpression results in an increased level of the at least one terpene in the cell compared to a non-transformed plant cell;
• and
• (c) regenerating the plant from the transformed cell of (b) wherein the plant has the increased level of the at least one terpene compared to a non-transformed plant of the same genetic background.

A method for reducing terpene levels in a population of plants, comprising:

• (a) providing at least one plants within a population of plants comprising a mutation in a gene having a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1 or a sequence with at least 60% identity to the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, or a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 3 or a sequence with at least 60% identity to the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 3;
• and
• (b) selectively breeding the at least one mutant plant of (a) to produce the population of plants having the reduced terpene levels.

A method for a marker-assisted introgression of production of at least one terpene into a plant comprising the steps of:

• (a) identifying a difference in a gene encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 between a plant from the Solanaceae family and a sexually compatible plant wherein the gene with the difference comprises a molecular marker associated with the presence of the at least one terpene in the plant;
• (b) making a cross between the plant having the molecular marker and the sexually compatible plant of (a);
• (c) screening a progeny resulting from the cross for the presence of the molecular marker;
• (d) identifying the plant within the progeny having the molecular marker and thereby identifying the plant producing the at least one terpene.